1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to management systems for on-demand cable programming. More specifically, the present invention relates to cable programming management systems that change in response to request demand, whereby a variable number of video sources can be selectively connected to a cable network and allocated to different cable head ends to keep the demand on each video source below a threshold level.
2. Prior Art Statement
Many cable providers offer on-demand programming for movies, music videos and other specialty programming. For movies, the typical prior art approach used by cable providers is to dedicate several cable channels as pay-per-view channels. A different movie is then repeatedly played on each of the pay-per-view channels. If a customer desires to view one of the movies, the customer calls his/her cable provider with the request. The cable provider then enables the customer's cable box to receive the movie at a selected time. Management systems for such prior art programming applications are relatively simple. Since a specific movie is repeatedly played on a dedicated cable channel, the cable provider need only enable a customer's cable box to receive that channel in an unscrambled format. However, since a separate channel must be dedicated to each movie, only a relatively small selection of movies can be offered. Furthermore, on each channel the selected movie is only played at certain times, e.g. at two hour intervals. As such, a customer must wait for the movie start time in order to view the entire movie.
Much more complex programming management systems are used by cable providers that offer true on-demand programming services. Two of the most common on-demand programming services are movie on-demand services and on-demand video jukebox services. Movie on-demand services are typically used by private cable providers, such as hotels and hospitals, that have a relatively small customer base. Conversely, on-demand music video jukebox services are used by many large public cable providers that serve hundreds of thousands of customers. Movie on-demand services used by small private cable providers typically use simple management systems where each request is individually serviced. At one given time, only a small percentage of a hotel's guests or hospital's patients will request a movie. Each guest or patient can therefore be individually accommodated using a relatively small bank of video sources, such as VCRs. However, with on-demand music video jukebox services that are offered by public cable providers, many thousands of requests may be received in a short span of time. Accordingly, it is not practical to provide individual service to such a large pool of customers.
The video jukebox services offered by many cable suppliers use the same overall management system that is used by a traditional coin operated jukebox. In a traditional coin operated jukebox, there is only one record player. As a person puts money into the jukebox, the selected song is saved in a queue where it is played in the order it was received. With cable supplied video jukebox services, a single cable channel is set aside by the cable supplier for the music videos. Customers are then prompted to call their cable suppliers and request a particular music video. The customer is charged and the requested music video is placed in a queue, where it is played in the order that it was received. Although such a management system seems simple, there are many complications that arise from the large degree of variation that occurs in the number of requests received by a cable supplier in a given is period of time. For example, during off-peak hours, only a few requests may be received by a cable supplier. As a result, only a few videos are played on the video jukebox channel. The remainder of the time is occupied by filler material such as commercials or an explanation of services. Since such filler material is typically not interesting to watch, customers change channels. This results in even fewer requests being received and more filler material being aired. Conversely, during peak hours, a cable supplier may be inundated with hundreds of requests. As a result, customers must wait long periods of time before the music video they requested is aired. This causes frustration in the customer, wherein the customer does not believe that he/she is receiving the services for which he/she paid. The customer is therefore much less likely to use the video jukebox services again in the future.
A need therefore exists in the art for a management system that can be applied to on-demand cable programming, wherein the management system is demand responsive and optimizes the organization of cable head ends to provide the requested programming in a time efficient manner.